Everything to Lose Read Online Free PDF Page B

It would mean breaking the council's tenancy agreement. Her mum will panic. It will stress the three of them.
    Even her friendship with Oliver Mansole had turned sour. He had always been a good friend. He had access to a van and offered to do the removal when the time came to give up the house. Now even he had abandoned her and she had to deal with the thugs looking for him and his drugs.
    Laraine lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. The rain was still beating against the window. A series of TV commercials running through the movie had pleaded for help to support the homeless. She remembered a year ago when she saw the same commercial and thought it must be really horrible to be homeless.
    If someone had told her then that she would soon be homeless she would have laughed in their face. Never in her life did she think it could happen to her, never. The pitiful images in the commercial replayed in her mind and filled her with anxiety. A dreadful feeling of panic writhed in her throat. The beginning of a scream surged from the pit of her lungs but she smothered it and it came out as a loud gasp.

 
    6
     
    University of Kinmalcolm , Central Scotland
     
    The annual October start of the academic year is a time for infectious fun and excitement. Many new student faces appear on the horizon, keen as mustard, exhilarated with thoughts that they have somehow found a new freedom.
    Despite the rising tide of fresher fun the mood in the Enzyme Technology Research Group was tense. More tense than normal as they walked along the corridors of the Alexander Fleming building from their lab to the small seminar room in the next building. It was almost five p.m., break time for some, going home time for others. It was not untypical of Gavin Shawlens to call a meeting at the end of the day.
    Dr Frank Morrus led the way followed by Sharon, Ike and Yee, the postdoctoral researchers then Bethany, Erin, Michael and Wincy, the postgraduate research students. All of them except Frank wore white lab coats. He wore a dark green polo shirt and neatly pressed beige coloured slacks with moccasin-type casual shoes. His hair an uncombed brown mess.
    They met a crowd of students spilling out of a large lecture room. The corridor filled with noisy students hurrying to catch buses, trains, and lifts home. It was raining heavily outside so lots of umbrellas were drawn like swords from their scabbards. Frank knew it was safer to stand against the wall in a single file and let the hoard push past.
    Dr Gavin Shawlens had called the meeting at short notice and they all knew it was not a seminar or a Group catch-up meeting. They chatted and voiced their guesses on what Gavin Shawlens was going to say.
    The rumour mill was red hot with suspicions that either the University was clawing back space so the lab would have to close, or Shawlens had run out of funding, or Shawlens was giving up research because of his recent stomach transplant. Some were panicking that they would be made redundant. Sharon Bonny was the only one unconcerned as her rich New York family paid all her costs.
    Gavin Shawlens and his research technician Christine Willsening walked from his office to the seminar room. He spoke to her in a grovelling apologetic tone and she was holding back a pot of simmering anger.
    "I'm sorry Christine. I just didn't think."
    "What? That I should have a boyfriend."
    "No not that. Okay Christine I shouldn't have turned up at your door. I was worried."
    "So I'm not allowed a life outside your lab."
    "I'm sorry. I'm sorry it won't happen again. If you want I'll apologise to John."
    "No."
    "Let me speak to him. I'll explain. I'll apologise."
    "Forget it Gavin. He won't speak to you."
    "You can still go. God knows you've plenty of holiday leave outstanding."
    "It's done now, forget it. Leave it alone now. Please."
    "Good news about your brother Simon. Eh?" Gavin said but she didn't answer.
    A few days ago Christine had done something completely out of character.